End violence against women: language and action @ CSW57th

5 April 2013

This GenderIT.org edition offers reflections on language and actions surrounding issues of technology-related forms of violence against women (VAW). We’re looking at these in the perspective/context of the APC project “End violence: Women’s rights and safety online” and the 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) which took place between 4-15 March in New York.

The 57th CSW was dedicated to the theme “Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls”. For the first time ever, this global policy-making body included among its agreed conclusions a paragraph addressing the intersection between VAW and information and communication technologies (ICTs). It specifically mentions the needs to promote technology as a means for women’s empowerment and to prevent and combat technology-related forms of VAW. Though far from perfect, this is an important step in the engagement of governments, ICT companies and civil actors in addressing this new form of VAW which is increasingly becoming part of women’s experience.